The purpose of this MHIRT grant proposal is to enable The University of Texas at El Paso to offer short-term international research training/educational opportunities for Hispanic undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in College of Health Sciences, Nursing, Biology, Psychology, or Pre-med/dental majors. The students will be provided a Summer Institute in which they will receive education regarding : 1) Hispanic health disparities, 2) the conduct of culturally, ethically, and linguistically relevant research including methodologies, data collection, analysis, and management, interpretation of results, and 3) a supervised international research experience in collaboration with UTEP investigators and researchers located in Chihuahua City, Chihuahua (Mexico), Guadalajara, Jalisco (Mexico) and Quito Ecuador. The Project will serve as a catalyst to encourage students to pursue research careers concerning the variables affecting Hispanic health disparities. The mechanism includes the recruitment, selection and mentoring of potential future researchers using the expertise of knowledgeable investigators guided by a 9 member Advisory Committee-Council. At the onset of the project, four research projects will be undertaken with a fifth project to be determined during the initial year of funding. Other research projects will be brought online as appropriate and as the initial 4 research projects are completed. RELEVANCE: The work being conducted by the UTEP MHIRT program in collaboration with UACH, UG and UCE is relevant to public health in that it is training undergraduate and graduate students in Hispanic health disparities. It is expected that these trainees will ultimately pursue research careers as result of this training. This research has impact on public health.